An optical microscope uses visible light to investigate structures too small to see with the naked eye. Optical microscopy is used extensively in many scientific disciplines including microelectronics, biology, pharmacology, minerology, and the like. Generally, an optical microscope includes a lens to enhance visible light transmitted or reflected through/from a sample. Simply by looking at a magnified image of the sample, much information can be gained.
In the field of medical diagnostics, the discipline of histopathology uses microscopic examination of tissue to study manifestations of disease. In clinical medicine, histopathology refers to the examination of a biopsy or surgical sample by a pathologist. Typically, slides containing the sample are examined under a microscope by a pathologist. The pathologist then produces a diagnosis in the form of a pathology report. However, due to the medical training and equipment required to produce an accurate pathology report, many medically underserved areas of the world do not have access to accurate medical diagnosis.
Similarly, in other scientific fields (such as minerology, botany, and/or zoology), it may be difficult to identify small samples in the field without the use of large microscopes and highly trained faculty.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.